Conveyer system.



No. 694,067. Patented Fe'b. 25, |902.

v E. W. `McKENNA. n

CUNVEY'ER SYSTEM.

(Application legi Jan. 7, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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' Patented Fein-25, i902. E. w. MGKENNA.

I GDNVIEYER-$YSTEM4 (Animacin n mrnn'. v, 1901.)

--2 4Sliema- Sheet -2.

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EDWARD W. MCKENNA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONVEYER SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o; 694,067, dated'February 25, 1902. Application filed January '7, 1901. Serial No. 42.390. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, EDWARD W. MGKENNA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Conveyer Systems, (Oase No. 9,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication. A l

My invention relates to freight-conveying systems, and more particularly to means for conveying freight through adjacent cars situ ated upon parallel tracks, and has for its object the provision of an improved conveyer system of this class.

In accordance with my invention I am enabled to readily loadfreight upon cars that are located side by side upon several tracks, for which purpose I preferably aline the cars abreast, so that the doors thereof register, and with the cars thus arranged I employ Crossovers between the same and between the cars nearest the freight-house and the freight-cars. With the cars thus connected by crossovers I am enabled to eect. the passage of trucks from the freight-house to the selected car.

It is the prime object of my present invention to provide means adapted to convey trucks from the freight-house througha line of cars, a plurality of similar means being.

employed in connection with each line of cars. In the preferred embodiment of the invention I provide a rope extending through the doors of the adjacent cars and engaging at either end suitably-mounted loose pulleys. The truck which it is desired to draw through the cars is fastened to the said rope, and power is then exerted upon the rope in any suitable manner to propel the'said truck Within the cars. After the truck has been unloaded power is exerted upon the rope in the opposite direction and ,the truck is withdrawn from the cars. Y

In my application, Serial No. 42,389, filed January 7, 1901, I have vshown a transfer system by means of which the small trucks are brought opposite the doors of the cars to which it is desired to draw them, and in -my present invention I have shown means wherefreight-house being diagrammatically indicated, together with means for transferring the freight within the freight-house.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout both figures.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, I have shown the outline of a freight-house 1, to which freight is delivered and in which it is to be assorted and distributed among cars 2 2, stationed upon the parallel tracks 3, 4, 5, and 6. The cars 2 2 are arranged in parallel rows 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13, and 14. The freight is conveyed about the freight-house by means of trolley-hoists 15 15, operating in a loop or closed path upon a track 16, suitably sus pended within the freight-house. The trolleyhoists are provided with hoisting mechanism, adapted to engage trucks 17 17 and convey the same about the freight-house 1 to a point opposite the door of the car to which the truck is consigned. The truck, upon being released by the trolley-hoist, is fastened to two ends of a rope 1S, which rope passes through the entire length of a line of cars. The rope 18 is passed about loose pulleys 19 19, rota# tably secured to a supporting-post 20 some distance beyond the outermost car 2. The rope is depressed and passes, preferably, through an opening 21 below the level of the rails of the cars and is wound about a drum 22, preferably situated under the freighthouse 1. The rope ispassed around another loose pulley 23, the top of which preferably registers even with the iioor of the freighthouse. One end of the rope 18 is fastened at one end of a truck 17, the remaining end ofV the rope being fastened upon the other side of said truck, the surplus rope being preferably coiled and laid upon the truck. The drum 22 for driving the rope is actuated by a motor 24, preferably belt-connected with IOO the said drum. A switch 25 is secured to the inner Wall of the freight-house and controls the rotation of the motor. The door of the freight house preferably inclines slightly toward the center thereof, the incline being suicient to impel trucks which have been released from engagement by a trolley-hoist away from the center of the freight-house toward the sides thereof, so that the same are in position to be attached to the rope 18.

The operation of my improved system will now be apparent. The freight delivered at the freight-house on the opposite side to that upon which the cars are stationed is loaded upon truck 17 and conveyed from this side to the opposite side of the freighthouse by means of the trolley-hoist 15. The trucks are deposited opposite the door of the car in which they belong and immediately upon being freed by the trolley-hoist roll down the incline provided in the floor of the freighthouse into position to be secured to the rope 18. The rope is then attached to both ends of the truck and the motor 24: operated to draw the truck Within the line of cars intothe one to which it is consigned. The truck is then unloaded and Withdrawn by reversing the motor 24.

While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that modifications may readily be made Without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the precise disclosure herein set forth; but,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a conveyer system for loading freightcars, the combination with a plurality of parallelly-arranged freight-cars, the doors of said freight-cars registering in a straight line,

of freight-supporting devices adapted to convey freight Within the said cars, and cable power-transmission mechanism for propelling said freight-supporting devices, substantially as described.

2. In a conveyer system for loading freightcars, the combination with a freight-house provided with a platform,of a plurality of parallelly-arran ged freight-cars,the doors of said freightcars registering in a straight line, freight-supporting devices adapted to convey freight Within the said cars, and cable powertransmission mechanism for propelling said freight-supportin g devices, substantially as described.

3. In a conveyer system for loading freightcars, the combination with a plurality of parallelly-arranged freight-cars, the doors of said freight-cars registering in a straight line, of freight-supporting devices adapted t0 convey freight Within the said cars, a cable adapted for attachment to said freight-supporting devices, means for transferring power to said cable, and crossover platforms provided between the floors of adjacent cars, substantially as described.

4. In a conveyer system for loading freightcars, the combination with a freight-house provided With a platform, of a plurality of parallelly-arranged freight-cars, the doors of said freight-cars registering in a straight line, freight-supporting devices adapted to convey freight within the said cars, a cable adapted for attachment to said freight-supporting devices, means for transferring power to said cable, and crossover platforms provided between the iioors of adjacent cars, substantially as described.

5. In a conveyer system for loading freightcars, the combination Witha plurality of parallelly-arranged freight-cars, the doors of said freight-cars registering in a straight line, of freight-supporting devices adapted to convey freight Within the said cars, a cable adapted for attachment to said freight-supporting devices, sheaves for said cable, said cable passing through said car-doors, about the said sheaves, and back underneath the said cars, the said cable being adapted to engage both ends of said freight-supporting devices, so that the said devices may move in both directions, and means for exerting a pull upon said cable, substantially as described.

6. In a conveyer system for loading freightcars, the combination with a freight-house provided With a platform, of a plurality of parallelly-arranged freight-cars, the doors of said freight-cars registering in a straight line, freight-supporting devices adapted to convey freight Wit-hin the said cars, a cable adapted for attachment to said freight-supporting devices, sheaves for said cable, said cable passing through said car-doors, about the said sheaves, and back underneath the said cars, the said cable being adapted to engage both ends of said freight-supporting devices, so

that the said devices may move in both directions, and means for exerting a pull upon said cable, substantially as described.

7. In a conveyer system for loading freightcars, the combination With a plurality of parallelly-arran ged frei ght-cars, the doors of said freight-cars registering in a straight line, of freight-supporting devices adapted to convey freight Within the said cars, a cable adapted for attachment to said freight-supporting devices, sheaves for said cable, said cable passing through said car-doors, about the said sheaves, and back underneath the said cars, the said cable being adapted to engage both ends of said freight-supporting devices, so that the said devices may move in both directions, a pulley 23, a drum 22, and a motor 24 for operating said drum, substantially as described. y

8. In a conveyer system forloading freightcars, the combination with a freight-house provided with a platform, of a plurality of 4parallelly-arranged freight-cars, the doors of said freight-cars registering in a straight line,

IOC

freight-supporting devices adapted to convey tions, a puiiey 23, axdrum 22,4and a motor 24 Io freight Within the said cars, a cable adapted for operating saiddrum5substantial1y as defor attachment to said freight-supporting described;

vices, sheaves for said cable, said cable pass- In'witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my 5 ing through said cardoors, about the said name this 27th dayof December, A. D. 19Q0.

sheaves, and back underneath the said cars, l EDWARD MCKENNA.

the said cable being adapted to engage both Witnesses: i

ends of said freight-supporting devices, so HARVEY L. HANsoN,

that the said devices may move in both diree- MAX W. ZABEL. 

